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This fall, Associate Professor Ajla Aksamija and Assistant Professor Rob Williams together with Travis Anderson from Placetailor Urban Design Build collaborated on a proposal for the Mass CEC's Triple Decker Design Challenge. With over 12,000 examples in the greater New England region, the triple decker typology presents a challenging but significant opportunity for implementing energy efficiency measures and advancing decarbonization within the region. Their proposal builds on Aksamija's on-going research into novel thermoelectric facade systems and Williams' expertise in high-performance, multi-family housing to propose a net-zero, low-carbon, deep energy retrofit strategy that is flexible, affordable, and replicable. Three central themes drive the design:

1) Wrap the exterior of the existing building in a continuous air and thermal barrier. Focus retrofit work on the exterior while minimizing interior renovations in order to reduce costs and maintain maximum flexibility for interior renovations in the future;

2) Incorporate an innovative thermoelectric smart façade system to provide all heating and cooling. These novel systems are cost effective, efficient, and eliminate the need for ducting and other interior equipment;

3) Maximize the use of recycled materials throughout to reduce carbon footprint and recognize the history of the house.

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